USA > Maine > Waldo County > Belfast > History of the city of Belfast in the state of Maine v.I, 1770-1875 > Part 59
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Pine Street was located and accepted in 1824, as follows : " beginning at a stake on the west line of Church Street, and thirty-three rods from the south line of Miller Street ; thence south, fifty-six degrees west, parallel with Miller Street, to the south line of lot No. 38 : to be two rods wide, and on the sontherly side of said line ; also, to be extended north, fifty-six degrees east, to the west side of High Street." It was again accepted in 1828, and in 1859 ordered to be opened.
Pleasant Street was accepted in 1807. Its location is described as follows : " beginning at the north-east corner of Joseph Drink- water's lot, lately owned by Miss Mckinley ; running south, eighty- eight degrees west, thirty-six rods, to Market Street; thence
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HISTORY OF BELFAST.
over said street and Bridge Street, continuing the same course, thirty-four rods, intersecting High Street : to be two rods wide on the thirty-six rods first mentioned, and three rods wide on the last-mentioned thirty-four rods; to lie on the northerly side of said course."
1820, Nov. 6. Voted to pass the article "to see if the town will discontinue that part of Pleasant Street which lies west of Market Street to High Street. Said street intersects High Street nearly opposite the dwelling-house of Robert Patterson, 4th."
Primrose Street was accepted in 1850, according to the follow- ing description : " beginning at a post at the south-east corner of Calvin Hervey's lot on High Street ; thence running south-westerly on the southerly line of said Hervey's lot and Alfred Johnson's land to Waldo Avenue (so called) : to be two rods wide, and on the south side of said line." It was not named of record until Sept. 7, 1874, being previously ealled Hervey Street.
Race Street accepted April 6, 1874, as follows : beginning on the easterly line of High Street, at G. W. Cottrill's southerly line, and on land owned by William B. White; thence east, by said Cottrill's southerly line, seventy-five rods, to the shore of Belfast Bay. Said street to be three and one half rods wide, and said bounds to be the northerly line of said street.
Range Street. (See Beaver Street.)
River Avenue was laid out in 1874, as follows : commencing at a point on Peirce Street, ten feet eastwardly from the house of Mrs. Miller on said street; running thence north, thirteen and three-quarter degrees west, twenty-five rods and five links, to the stone wall between the lands of Eben Peirce and B. F. Field. Said street to lie to the eastward of said line, and to be three rods wide.
Salmond Street. In 1866, the eity authorities voted " that the Salmond lane be laid ont three rods wide, from High to Congress Street, and be called Salmond Street : provided that no damage be claimed for any land on said street, and that the same shall not be made until commencing buildings thereon." This is a portion of one of the roads granted by the original proprietors between lots Nos. 40 and 41 in the first division, two rods wide, and accepted by the town in 1808. The name is derived from Wil- liam Salmond, who for many years occupied the adjoining land.
Spring Street, located in 1815, was accepted in 1816, as fol- lows: beginning at a stake and stones on High Street, at the
STREETS. 643
dividing line between lots Nos. 36 and 37 in the first division ; thence north, forty-nine degrees east, to the channel of the river. Said street to be on the southerly side of said line or course. In 1818, an extension to Church Street was accepted, as follows : beginning at the westwardly side of High Street, two rods and five links southwardly from the south-east corner of the house owned by the heirs of the late Captain R. Lymburner, opposite to the north-west corner of Spring Street; thence south, forty-nine degrees west, twenty-four rods, to the eastwardly line of the lot of land on which the new meeting-house stands, corresponding with the south line of Sleeper's lot, intersecting Church Street : to be three rods wide, and to be called Spring Street, it being an extension of the same. The town to be at the expense of remov- ing Quimby's trees thereon, and make the fence.
In 1855, it was ordered by the municipal officers that " Charter Street from the jail until it strikes Spring Street be called Spring Street."
The name was derived from an excellent spring of water within its limits, near the easterly line of High Street.
Summer Street was located in 1815, and accepted the following year, according to the following transcript : " beginning at High Street, at the south-westerly corner of Josiah Bean's house-lot ; 1 thence north, forty-nine degrees east, by the line of said lot, and continuing the same course to the channel of the river. Said street to be on the southerly side of said line, and to be four rods wide." In 1831, it was extended from High to Church Street, "nearly in range with Miller Street, and three rods wide." In 1855, the name of the whole, from the shore to Church Street, was changed to Miller Street.
Union Street was accepted in 1844, " provided there is no dam- age claimed by any person from the town." The location is as follows : "beginning on the southerly side of Summer (now Miller) Street, at the north-easterly corner of the Hall and Pishon lot ; thence across James Miller's land, south, forty degrees east, fifty-one rods or thereabouts, to a stake and stones ; thence south, thirty-six degrees east, about eight rods, to Wm. Frothingham's land ; thence, same course, about twenty rods, to the easterly line of a contemplated street in the easterly end of said Frothingham's orchard ; thence south, ten and one half degrees east, about twenty- eight rods, across said Frothingham's land, to the north line of the
1 The present residence of Martin P. White.
1
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HISTORY OF BELFAST. 1
McFarland lot (so called) ; thence, same course, about forty-seven rods, to the road leading from High Street near the town pound to the shore. Said road to be three rods wide, and on the easterly side of said course and line." In 1847, it was accepted from Park Street, over the old graveyard, to Summer, now Miller Street. In 1849, so much as was laid out over the graveyard was discon- tinued, and allowed again in 1852.
Vine Street was approved and allowed in 1831, as follows: " beginning on the westerly side of the road leading from the vil- lage to the upper bridge, on the division line between William Greely's lot of land, owned in part by Captain Saunders, and land owned by Jacob McDonald ; thence westwardly, on said dividing line, fifty-two rods, to the road leading from said village to the Head of the Tide. Said road to be thirty-two feet wide, and said dividing line the centre." It was not named of record until Sept. 7, 1874. Before that, it was called Cobbett's Lane, from L. B. Cobbett, who lived near it.
Waldo Avenue was approved and allowed from Bridge Street to Main Street in 1830, as follows : " beginning on the southerly side of Bridge Street ; from thence south, thirty-one degrees east, eleven rods and eighteen links, across Mr. Thomas Witherly's land, to Main Street. Said road located four rods wide, and to lay upon the west side of said line or course, and intended to compare with the easterly line of the new county road leading from Bel- fast village to the Head of the Tide."
Washington Street was laid out and accepted in 1807, as fol- lows : " beginning at a stake on the westerly side of Main Street, on the division line between Dr. Hubbard's and Reuben Kimball's lots ; running from said stake north, fifty degrees west, thirty-eight and a half rods, over Market and Pleasant Streets, until it inter- sects the Bridge Street. Said street to be two and one half rods wide, and to lie one half on each side of said course."
Water Street was accepted in 1808 : "being a continuation of Green Street, on a soutli-easterly course, lying westerly of and run- ning by the bank of the river to the common ; said street being three rods wide." It was never opened.
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FERRIES AND BRIDGES.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
FERRIES AND BRIDGES.
First Ferry. - Log Canoe. - Ferry at the Narrows. - Duke de Liancourt's Account of Crossing River in 1796. - Rates of Toll. - Ferry renewed in 1830. - Free Ferry pro- jected. - Foot Bridge. - Bridges over Goose River, the Passagassawakeag, Morrison Brook, Little River, and Half-way Creek. - Belfast Bridge Company chartered. - Names of Proprietors. - Rates of Toll. - Upper Bridge Company. - Officers. - Bridge rebuilt. - Dividends. - Extension of Charter. - New Bridge in 1840. - Closed to Public in 1857. - Average Net Receipts. - Free Bridge. - East Bridge. - Tolls. - Officers. - Formal Opening. - Annual Suppers of Proprietors. - Anecdote. - Location and Dimensions. - Cost. - Receipts. - Toll-gatherers. - Bridge par- tially destroyed. - Rebuilt. - Cost. - Dividends. - Renewal of Charter refused. - Act anthorizing City to maintain Free Bridge. - Draw and Draw-tenders. -- Bridge at City Point. - Town Landing.
FERRIES.
F OR over thirty years after the first settlement, the only pub- lic means of crossing the river was by a ferry. The landing- place on the easterly side was on the flats, near where Bickford & Co.'s Wharf stands, and on this side above Lewis's Wharf : a portion of the time, just easterly of it, at what has been known as "the town landing." Before a ferryman was appointed, per- sons were carried from the east side by Tolford Durham, and from the west side by James Miller, usually without compensation. A log canoe, dug out with a round adze, served as a ferry-boat. This was succeeded by a scow, or gondola, sufficiently large to convey horses. By a law passed in 1794, towns were obliged to provide ferries, when deemed necessary by the Court of Sessions; and an additional one was established at the Narrows, where the upper bridge now stands. Dec. 25, 1794, the town voted "not to give the Town's Right & Title to Tolford Durham and his heirs, of the Ferry where the County road is laid out, and that the Selectmen shall Agree with Ephraim McKeen to keep the Ferry at the Nar- rows a certain time."1 Communication between the opposite shores was uncertain, and frequently unsafe. "We were to pass
1 Town records.
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HISTORY OF BELFAST.
the river," wrote the Duke de Liancourt, who visited Belfast with General Knox, in 1796, " at a place where the access is extremely difficult. The ferry-boat is very small, and for horses very incon- venient. We were waiting for it a whole hour, and thought our- , selves fortunate in reaching the opposite bank, when the wind became boisterous, the tide rose higher in the river, and our horses became unruly. The General's negro conducted over two of the horses, swimming." 1
In 1805, the ferryman was Daniel Hibbard, who occupied a small building called the " ferry-house " on Sandy Beach, near the side of the freight depot. His stated toll or fare was fourpence for a man, and four times that sum for a horse.2
After the partial destruction of the east bridge in 1830, the ferry from the foot of Main Street was renewed, James Langwor- thy being appointed ferryman by the Court of Sessions. He was required to keep sufficient boats in constant readiness to convey foot-passengers across the river, and authorized to receive a toll of three cents for each person so carried.
A free ferry was the subject of consideration in 1851, and the expense of maintaining a two-horse ferry-boat discussed at several public meetings. Nothing resulted from the plan, which probably had in view a reduction of tolls imposed by the East Bridge Com- pany.
BRIDGES.
In the early days of the town, when there were no carriages, and but few horses, bridges over the small streams, except for pedestrians, were unnecessary. Goose River was first crossed by what is termed, in the old records, " the foot-bridge." The Mor- rison brook, just this side of Mr. Wight's farm on the Northport road, which is now dwindled to a mere rivulet, was made passa- ble by a large pine-tree being felled across it. Until the estab- lishment of roads, the opposite sides of Little River, the Wescott stream, and the Passagassawakeag above City Point, were only accessible by fording.
At a town meeting held March 12, 1776, it was voted "to Bild a Bridge over Goose River, so caled, this year ;" but in the follow- ing June this vote was reconsidered. No further action appears to have been taken until June 27, 1788, when the town voted " To build a Bridge on Goose River this year; that all the Rates of the
1 Travels of the Duke de Liancourt.
2 William Quimby.
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FERRIES AND BRIDGES.
People on the Easterly side of the River, and one-half of this Present year's Rate of the People on the Westerly side, be worked on Goose River Bridge." A similar vote appears of record the, next year.
1802, May 10. Voted, "That the District in which Goos River bridge (is) shall build the same, and if the money assessed upon said District does not compleat the said Bridge,1 the Select- men is to turn in the non-resident land tax."
1804, May 7. " Voted to raise $400, to build the bridges on Passagawakeeg River, carried away by the late freshets."
In 1794, the town voted to build one-half the bridge over Lit- tle River, which was not done, however.
In 1810, a committee was chosen by the town to rebuild Coch- ran's bridge, at the Head of the Tide. The stone-work was struck off at auction to Joseph Barns, for eight hundred dollars ; and the wood-work, for two hundred and fifty dollars, to R. B. Cochran.
In 1826, one hundred dollars were applied to rebuild half of the bridge on the stream between Prospect and Belfast.
UPPER BRIDGE.
The project of a bridge across the river originated with the owners of lands in this vicinity in 1800. At a town meeting held April 7, of that year, "To take the voice of the town respecting Building a Bridg over Belfast river at the Narrows, - whether they will agree to the present proceeding of the Proprietors now engaged in said Business, or agree to Build said Bridg free for Travelers," it was voted "that the proceedings be approved by the town." So jealous, however, were the members of the Gen- eral Court, of the rights of all concerned, that they required the petitioners to publish a statement of their plan in the "Castine Advertiser," several months before action was taken.
A charter was granted Feb. 10, 1801. It incorporated William Cunningham, Jonathan Wilson, William Patterson, Ephraim McFarland, Samuel Russell, Robert Patterson, 2d, Abner G. McKeen, Nathaniel Patterson, Ephraim McKeen, Jacob Eames, Robert B. Cochran, and John S. Osborn, and their associates, under the name of "The Belfast Bridge Company, for building and maintaining a bridge over the river at the upper ferrying- place, one mile from the mouth of said river." Rates of toll were
1 In 1874, Goose River bridge was built 25 feet high and 400 feet long, by S. G. Ellis, for $2,449.
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HISTORY OF BELFAST.
allowed as follows: for each foot-passenger, three cents; each man and horse, twelve cents and five mills; each horse and chaise, sulky, or riding-chair, twenty-five cents; each sleigh or sled drawn by one beast, twelve cents and five mills ; each sleigh, sled, wagon, or cart, drawn by two beasts, twelve cents and five mills; by more than two beasts, seventeen cents; for neat cattle in droves or single, two cents each; for swine or sheep, one cent each.
The first bridge under the charter was built in 1801, at an expense of six thousand dollars.
In 1819, William Cunningham and others represented to the Legislature that the bridge was so much decayed as to be almost impassable, and that the public utility required the erection of a new structure before the expiration of the old charter, which the proprietors offered to surrender. A new act of incorporation was therefore asked for, and obtained. It bore date Jan. 21, 1820, and authorized William Cunningham, William Patterson, Ephraim McKeen, Salathiel Nickerson, Jr., Nathaniel Eells, John McKeen, and William Ryan, to build and maintain for twenty years a bridge twenty feet wide, with a draw, "near where the old bridge now stands." The title of the corporation was the " Belfast Upper Bridge Company." The rates of toll were substantially the same as before, subject to alterations by the General Court. "Each coach or pleasure carriage of four wheels, drawn by two or more horses," was chargeable with thirty cents. Such vehicles were unknown to this vicinity in the early days of the old bridge. When the toll-gatherer did not attend at his station, passengers and carriages were to pass free, as at all times were persons going to or returning from public worship on the Lord's day, military duty, or town meetings. The capital of the corpo- ration consisted of twenty-five shares, valued at $94.06 cents each. At the organization, Feb. 19, 1821, Rufus B. Allyn was chosen president ; S. Nickerson, Jr., clerk and treasurer. The bridge was accepted Aug. 13, 1821, having been built by James McCrillis and Ephraim McKeen, at an expense of $2,401.50. The first dividend, of about twelve per cent, was declared Dec. 31, 1822, the right of collecting tolls up to that time having been sold to Mr. Nickerson for $321. From that date to the expiration of the charter, the net receipts were much less, not averaging five per cent per year, except during 1831 and 1832, when the east bridge was impassable.
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FERRIES AND BRIDGES.
As the life of the charter drew towards its close, a free bridge at the Narrows was projected ; and the Legislature of 1839 au- thorized the County Commissioners to establish a highway across the river at that point. The measure was superseded the next year, by an Act extending the charter for another twenty years, and repealing the former Act, if the bridge was rebuilt before June 1, 1841. S. Nickerson, Jr., S. C. Nickerson, and Albert T. Nickerson, having become the sole proprietors, rebuilt the bridge, during the summer of 1840, at a cost of $1,300. In 1857, it was closed to the public, being in a dangerous condition. The aver- age annual net receipts during the last fifteen years of its con- tinuance as a toll-bridge were $120.04.
In 1859, the municipal officers voted thirty dollars to be ex- pended in repairing the bridge for winter travel, "the city not to be liable for any damage." The following year, the Legislature authorized the city to erect a bridge at any time within three years, and to receive tolls. No action was taken under this char- ter, and the old bridge went entirely away in the fall of 1866. In the mean time, an Act approved Jan. 27, 1864, empowered the erec- tion of a free bridge; but the measure was negatived April 16, by one hundred and fifty-one nays to thirty-eight yeas. Certain citizens then petitioned the municipal officers "to lay out and con- struct a bridge, or public town way, agreeable to the charter or Act of the Legislature." This prayer was refused. Thereupon, the aid of the County Commissioners was invoked, which tribunal laid out the bridge and way prayed for. From their decision the city appealed ; and their appeal was sustained, upon the ground that the commissioners had no authority to lay out roads over tide- waters.1 Such authority being afterwards granted by the Legis- lature, the present free bridge was constructed by the city, and completed June 17, 1869, at a cost of $3,950. A draw for the passage of vessels is maintained for $100 per year.
EAST BRIDGE.
By an Act of the General Court, approved March 14, 1804, "Jonathan Wilson, together with those who may hereafter associ- ate with him," was incorporated under the name of "The Pro- prietors of the East Bridge in Belfast," and authorized to erect and maintain for sixty years, from the day of the opening for pas- sengers, a bridge from Nathaniel Patterson's shore to the west
1 52 Maine Reports, 529.
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HISTORY OF BELFAST.
side of the river. The prescribed rates of toll were as follows : for each foot passenger, three cents ; for each man and horse, ten cents ; for each horse and chaise, sulky, or riding chair, twenty cents ; for each sleigh or sled, wagon or cart, drawn by one beast, twelve and one half cents; by two beasts, fifteen cents; and, if drawn by more than two beasts, an additional sum of three cents for each beast; for neat cattle, singly or in droves, two cents each ; for sheep and swine, one cent each ; and to each team, one person and no more shall be allowed as a driver to pass free from toll.1 There were one hundred shares of stock, of which Thorn- dike, Sears, and Prescott, and Samuel Parkman, extensive owners of real estate in the neighboring towns, took forty-seven. The first meeting of the corporation was held at "the house of Thomas Whittier, innholder," on the tenth day of December of that year ; at which meeting Francis Anderson was elected clerk ; Jonathan Wilson, Thomas Knowlton, and Tolford Durham, managers; Samuel Houston, Samuel Prescott, and Jonathan White, assessors ; and Thomas Whittier, treasurer.
At a meeting held soon afterwards, it was voted "that nine shillings per day be allowed to each man that works on the bridge, and that ten hours make a day." It was also voted " that the westerly end of the bridge land as near as possible to the north- -
ward of John Mansur's barn." The bridge was built in 1806, and accepted by the proprietors on Christmas day, the occa- sion being observed by a supper at Whittier's hotel. It was opened on the following first day of January. For many years, the annual meeting of the corporation was quite an event. In 1807, the following vote was passed, as appears of record : "That the members of this corporation, with their officers and such gentlemen as the directors may invite, sup together on the first day of January, unless that day shall happen to be Sunday - in that event on the succeeding day - at such time and place as the directors shall appoint, and give notice thereof by their clerk." 2
It is a well-authenticated fact, although it does not appear on record, that these " sups " were sometimes of a rather exuberant character, as the following incident serves to show. At the close of one of them, after the party had risen from the table and were about to separate, a member made a motion "that we all take a night-cap, and adjourn to the first Monday in next January."
1 Original charter.
2 Corporation records.
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FERRIES AND BRIDGES.
Whereupon, a worthy deacon, who was embracing one of the door- posts at the time, suggested that it would be well before acting on the motion to look at the almanac and make sure that the day named didn't come on Sunday. The question was divided : the night-cap was taken, but the consultation of the almanac was in- definitely postponed.1
The bridge, as originally built, was one hundred and twenty- two rods long and twenty-eight feet broad; the posts were from thirty to fifty-eight feet in length.2 The terminus on the western side was near the house of Captain William O. Alden, from which Pleasant Street then extended to a point nearly opposite the Alfred Johnson house. The eastern terminus was near that of the present bridge. Remains of the piles may still be seen at low water. The cost of the structure was $19,000. Two wharves ad- joining the draw, each eighty by twenty feet, were constructed by Jonathan Wilson, at an additional expense of $1,300. Mr. Wilson became the first toll-gatherer. Tolford Durham succeeded him in 1808, paying $1,350 for the privilege. The toll was let to Apollos Alden in 1810. After him came James MeCrillis, who held the position with occasional intervals until 1830, and paid upon an average $500 per annum. An Act of the Legislature, passed in 1812, allowed a charge "for every curricle, twenty-five cents; for every phaeton or other four-wheeled pleasure earriage, on springs, drawn by two horses, thirty eents ; and for every stage- coach, chariot, coach, or coachee, drawn by four horses, forty cents." The shares of the corporation were worth thirty-six dollars in 1817.
In 1830, the bridge had become much out of repair, and people were afraid of it. During a heavy north-west squall, on the even- ing of December 13th of that year, about twenty-five rods were carried away. A portion landed on the shore of Long Island. Immediately before the accident, an ox-team had passed safely over. Three years previously, Ralph C. Johnson and others repre- sented in a petition to the Legislature that the bridge was in a ruinous state, that the net income had not averaged three per cent, and asked authority for a lottery to raise the sum of $10,000 to build a free bridge.8 The prayer was not granted. The proprie-
1 Crosby's Annals.
2 Across Belfast harbor are two drawbridges. The largest, which was built in 1806, is said to be the largest public work in the district. - Parrish's Geography, 1810.
8 Legislative Proceedings.
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HISTORY OF BELFAST.
tors having determined to rebuild, Daniel Lane, Hiram O. Alden, and Thomas Bartlett were chosen a committee for the purpose ; and the new structure was erected by James McCrillis, for $6,500, on contract. It was opened for public travel Sept. 11, 1832. Twenty-two shares were sold to the corporation in 1831, at a nomi- nal sum for non-payment of assessments, leaving seventy-eight in the hands of actual owners. On these, an average annual divi- dend of twelve per cent was made until the expiration of the charter. Mr. McCrillis acted as toll-collector until 1849, Alden D. Chase from that time until 1854, and Thomas W. Lothrop from 1854 to 1866 inclusive. On final settlement of the proprietors, a dividend of seventeen dollars per share was declared.1
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